Proud and Prejudiced
by darcy-queen
Summary: A modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice as if there aren't enough already Please Reveiw
1. Chapter 1

**Proud and Prejudiced**

**Author's Note: Due to the fact that only a minority of writers come from the same place I do, and taking into consideration that I know next to nothing of international schooling systems please note that I have used the students' ages instead of what form/grade they are in.**

**Please also note that a sequel has been planned and any reviews stating whether or not to go through with it as planned would be appreciated.**

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"Alright Guys," she said as she walked into the stark new classroom. "Ready for a year of hard work, pain and possible torture?" The students she'd had the previous year smiled, they were used to her interesting ways of teaching, the new students however looked slightly scandalized. "You think you're in the wrong class do you?" she asked one of the new ones sitting in the front row. The fifteen year old shook her head. The teacher turned around and sat in a spare desk next to the student. "Just nod and smile, she gets better after the first few weeks" she whispered.

A few laughs were head in the back as Miss Eleanor Bennet took a bow and smiled. "Ahh yes," she laughed. "Isn't it good to be starting a new year? A new year of assessments, exams and this year, the trip?" the confused looks on the faces of her students told her all she needed to know. "Right, well." She went back to her folder and produced the forms and the competition. "Later this year there is an opening for 10 of you to go on a trip with moi to ENGLAND and EUROPE and cool places like that. All in the name of History of course. But if we happen to stop by any markets and shopping districts then it is up to you to use self control and buy only as much as you feel like and by the way, bribery is _completely_ acceptable when we're there."

"How is it decided?" one particularly able student asked.

"Beautiful question Lucy and of course that is what we want in history isn't it. BEAUTIFUL questions…but I'm getting off track," the teacher bubbled. Definitely in her element. "The Second piece of paper coming around is the competition guidelines. I want a 20 minute video presentation, either in pairs or individually on what ever time period you wish to study. For the record! Should you decide to be _Particular_ suck ups, I was born in the mid to late 80s, and should you choose that area of time I should expect an exceptional report including otherwise hidden and increasingly embarrassing baby photos."

A few students laughed while the others stared at her in confusion. "But that isn't until July. Now, books out. We have a double lesson to waste and can't chat the entire time."

In the lunch break the teacher took out her hair and readied herself for her next class. Her dark red hair fell to her shoulders in soft curls while her huge…almost luminous eyes stared at her timetable trying to read without the use of her glasses.

"They're in your pigeon hole El," a teacher told her. She looked over the small divide between their cubicles and made out a friend of hers.

"Thanks Kit." She said and stumbled over to the pigeon holes in question. She counted fifteen and reached in blindly. "Ah! Glasses!" she exclaimed reaching up with them as if she had just conquered a large mountain. Several teachers rolled their eyes, putting it down to her being younger than most of them. Eleanor had gone to University at the tender age of 17, been released from its confines at 20, started her first job at 20 and a half and now, at 22 was swiftly getting settled in a routine some envied, but made others shake their heads. This girl didn't travel, she'd started Uni as a kid, and now…well, now she was one of the students' favourite teachers, but it was more than that. She hadn't _lived_.

She heard the bell ring and dashed off to her next class, impressionable 14 year olds.

The day past, as days tend to and slowly turned into the next morning. She was sure that somewhere in the middle she'd eaten, and organised her lessons for the day.

After her 17 year olds she had a long lunch break and decided to call up the girls and have lunch in the city somewhere.

Her slightly older sister Jenny sat in the café doodling on the napkin with a pencil stub while Charlie, or Charlotte to civilised company, was trying to think of a way to get someone off when fourteen witnesses swore black and blue that they had seen this person murder another. Eleanor walked up with a couple of books in her old leather bag and sat down.

"Hey," Charlie said. "How do you get a murderer off scot free?"

Eleanor laughed. "You don't."

Charlie glared at her, but smiled nonetheless and passed over a drink they'd already ordered.

"Let's have a look then," Eleanor said taking the napkin from her sister's graceful hands. "Lovely," she commented on the portrait of Charlie that adorned a mediocre napkin. "It should be hung up somewhere."  
Jenny smiled and rolled her eyes, "it's not that good."

Charlie laughed, "You need more of an ego if you're going to be an artist Jen."

Jenny smiled and flicked a stray morsel of blonde hair out of her face and back into the messy plait she had running down her back. Charlie laughed and pushed her hair away from her green eyes. "Jenny is too sweet to enter the dangerous world of artistry, don't you think Eleanor?"

Eleanor smiled. "Not to sweet, she is sweet enough for anyone, maybe to good. They will all take advantage of her."

Jenny smiled knowing that somewhere in that remark was a compliment.

The three of them never had a moment of silence, there was always something to talk about, Jenny's latest art work winning a local competition, Charlie's new lecturer being a total pain and spitting whenever he spoke, or Eleanor's newest student, or her previous students and their antics.

They had a 'pleasant' lunch in that the food was neither too good, nor too bad and then when Charlie pointed out the time Eleanor ran off to provide insight to a new teacher in the computer labs feeling annoyed at the fact that she had to work and couldn't spend the day with the girls.

The new teacher was one Daniel (Denny) Randall, and it was custom for a more senior teacher with a spare to watch over the new teacher's class and make sure that the teaching was up to the school's standards, but Eleanor was the only one with a spare that lesson. Denny paced the front of the classroom and Eleanor couldn't figure out if he was doing that out of genuine or fake nervousness.

"Did you hear? Chris BINGLEY is COMING!"

"What?"

"They're filming IN THIS SCHOOL!"

Denny and Eleanor exchanged a glance, they'd heard about the fact that the school was 'in negotiations' with a film company who apparently wanted to use the school site for filming for a few weeks, but the students weren't supposed to know anything about it.

"That Ritchie guy is going to direct it!"

"Well! Who's going to act?"

"Well, Bingley of course, he always acts in a D Production, and then I suppose that Carol lady has to be in it."

"She's Horrible!"

"I KNOW"

Eleanor opened the door and watched as the students filed in. "Guys! Enough of that already, when we hear about any film in the school we'll tell you."

"Miss Bennet? Are you taking this class?" the girl from her class yesterday looked at her expectantly.

"No, I'm here to introduce your new teacher. Everyone, this is Mr. Randall." Denny smiled and did a little half-hearted wave to the students as some looked with contempt while others smiled encouragingly.

"Hey everyone. Right, well, let's take the roll shall we?" Denny wasn't that much older than her, and if he didn't stare openly at Kit she would be attracted to him, she decided.

Eleanor watched smiling while Denny flowed through his first lesson, and a double at that. She waved to the students as they filed out on their way home and walked with Denny up to the staff room. "What do you think about that movie business?" she asked as they walked in and got afternoon tea.

Denny rolled his eyes, "You think _she'd _let a film crew in here?" Eleanor rolled her eyes, she couldn't see what the problem everyone seemed to have with Mr. Deary. She quite liked him. But that wasn't the _she_ he was talking about obviously. The _she_ was Mr. Deary's wife Mrs. Deary, many people thought that she was the one who really ran the school

Kit smiled as they came and sat down next to her. "Apparently they really want this place, have you heard the sum they're willing to pay?" Eleanor shook her head. "Couple of Million."

Eleanor nodded, "pretty little sum there."  
The arrival of the principal stopped the conversation as Mr Deary (Dreary too many of the students, but Eleanor wouldn't agree with that one) hushed them and began to speak.

"You have all heard about the current negotiations taking place between myself, the board of governors and certain members and representatives of the movie making business. So far those negotiations are going well and if all continues so we are expecting to have certain members of the movie community inhabiting our school for 2-3 weeks at the most. The interruption to classes will be minimal and we shall try to incorporate everyone we can in the deal. The Male boarders will be housed in the boarding house of our brother school Saint Peters and our Female Boarders in our sister school of Saint Mary's. Are there any other questions or needs that must be addressed this afternoon."

"Is it true then?" Kit spoke up. "Chris Bingley will be in our school?"

Mr Deary smiled and nodded. "And yes, you will have an opportunity to have him sign the small shrine in your cubicle." Kit blushed like a school girl while Denny looked at the floor and Eleanor smiled knowingly.

She was going to have to set a friend of hers on those two.

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	2. Chapter 2

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**DISCLAIMER: I do not pretend to own any of the works by Jenny Austen or any other author and their characters. I am but a lowly servant. **

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Chris almost jumped into the room, like walking was too minimal for him. He sat down in a large chair and sighed. "What do you think?" he asked the three others that were already in the large living room. 

"It's alright," a handsome, but rather stiff man said standing near an old fashioned fireplace. "This room's a little small."

"What are you talking about Will? This place is wonderful." Their other friend laughed running a hand through his blazing red hair.

"I agree with Will," the only girl among them said. "This place is tiny and the people here…they're disgusting."

The man with red hair – Ritchie- rolled his eyes, "of COURSE you'd agree with Will. The day you don't is the day that I take your opinion seriously. Just because it isn't Hollywood doesn't mean its 'disgusting'."

Carols, for that was her name, flicked her blonde hair over her shoulder in a classic model sort of way. "Really Ritchie," she said. "You must think of more impressive insults."

Ritchie laughed, "Laura doesn't mind them."

"She's married to you for god's sake."

The woman in question, a stunning beauty of 25 floated into the room with a young boy at her heels. "Jack wanted to say something to his dad before he went to bed." She announced which made Carols glower, while Chris and Ritchie smile. Will's expression during the previous exchange had remained unreadable.

"I'm sorry I was sick on you Daddy," the young boy – Jack – said meekly. "I wasn't feeling good."

Ritchie smiled and picked the young boy up with ease. "It's okay Jacko," he said happily. You could just see that there, that moment was where he wanted to be for the rest of his life. "I'll wash them so Mummy doesn't get mad."

Jack smiled, grateful that he wasn't going to get in trouble while his mother smiled in a he'll-pay-for-that-later sort of way and followed the two of them upstairs to Jack's bedroom.

"He'll never let that kid go now," Chris smiled.

"I think it's adorable. Did you hear? My friend Maria, she's had a baby, so has Anne, it's like the perfect accessory."

Will and Chris turned to look at her wondering if she was being serious. Carols didn't seem to mind or even notice in the slightest. Will rolled his grey eyes and excused himself saying that he was going to get a drink and was then off to bed.

Chris then rounded on his sister, "what do you want from him?"

Carols turned around. "What would you know about anything? You're an Actor! You can have all you want with no questions asked. Of course, you never use that power, but it's there. All I want…is him."  
Chris nodded. "Well, maybe you should find someone else to pine for, because he doesn't want you, and I mean that in the nicest way. Anyway, you're just as much an actor as I am."  
Carols glared at him and stormed off while Laura and Ritchie walked back in with the mail in their hands.

"Just found the mailbox." Ritchie said by way of explanation.

Chris looked up, "we have a mailbox?"

"Apparently." Laura said absently reading a letter from a school that she was in negotiations with. "They've invited us to a party on Friday, you know, getting to know the teachers and all that."

"Who have?" Chris said.

"Oh you know, that school…St Helens or something. We want to use it for the opening scene?"

Chris thought back to the many hours they'd spent previously pouring over the script and thinking of the opening scene… "You mean the one with the teacher…and the rubber band…and that chicken?"

Ritchie nodded smiling. "That's the one, they have this Perfect auditorium."

Chris nodded, "I remember it. Are we going?"

Laura looked at him, "You want to?"

Chris didn't look taken aback or anything, he simply smiled. "Yeah, of course. They invited us, we should at least put in an appearance."

Ritchie smiled. "You have to get it past Will first." Laura sniggered.

"Good Luck," she said.

Chris smiled, "he'll come around to the idea."

"Eventually." Ritchie put in.

Chris smiled and told them that he was off to try to convince Will to go with them.  
The kitchen was a large affair, almost like a kitchen in a highly ranked restaurant. "Will? Come on, where are you?" Chris said looking in the many nooks and crannies.

Will appeared suddenly behind him holding a cup of steaming coffee. "Hi," he said and sat down on one of the stools.

"Hey, Now look Will. I know that you have this vow against being social, but the school we want for the opening scene, you know the one-"

"Refresh my memory."

"The one with the teacher…and the rubber band…and that chicken?"

Will searched his memory for a moment before nodding, "I've got it, the one with the auditorium."  
Chris smiled, "that's the one. Well, anyway, they've invited us to this whole meet and greet thing on Friday night."

"That's easy, you all go and I'll look after Jack."

"I'm sure we can find someone," Chris said happily. "Come on, you'll regret it if you don't." Will looked at him his forehead furrowed. "Fine, I'll regret it because then we'll have to find a new location or build a set and you know how much that annoys you."

Will groaned, "I'm the producer, I shouldn't have to do this."

"It's because you're the producer that you have to," Chris told him finding a drink of his own. "I'm sorry about Carols by the way."  
Will smiled darkly. "Ah, Carols. At this party we need to find her someone to take her away from me."

Chris laughed, "Good luck with that."

"I'll need it."

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	3. Chapter 3

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**Chapter 3. DISCLAIMER: I do not pretend to own any of the works by Jenny Austen or any other author and their characters. I am but a lowly servant. **

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The auditorium was filled with the buzz of cheap wine infected conversation as teachers and parents eagerly awaited the arrival of the 'celebrities'. 

Eleanor, Jenny (Eleanor needed backup),Kit and Denny stood together, drinks in hands discussing ways in which to annoy the principal, juvenile maybe, but you haven't met Mr. Deary, or really. Denny and Kit were discussing ways in which to annoy him and Jenny and Eleanor listened.

The principal in question came over to them with his simply odious wife, Mrs. Deary. A short, slightly roundish lady with grey/red curls that were held in place under a hat with feathers that Eleanor couldn't look at without smiling.

"Hello Ellie," Mrs. Deary trilled as they made their way over.

"Hey Mrs. Deary," Eleanor smiled pleasantly in a way that was reserved for rather elderly relatives and neighbours.

"Now, when are you going to bring a boy to meet us eh?" Mrs. Deary winked at Denny who didn't notice as his eyes were on someone else entirely.

"Oh, I don't know," Eleanor said smiling. "Um, maybe next time hey?"

Mrs. Deary looked at her examining her, "Well, you know, times running out you know, tick tock." She openly stared at Eleanor's stomach which Eleanor then felt compelled to cover with her crossed arms.

"Thank you Mrs. Deary, very informative." She said kindly and excused herself on the basis of going to the 'powder room' dragging Jenny after her. Once there they obliged themselves in falling into fits of laughter.

"Oh My," sweet Jenny said. "You told me to watch out for her, but that…"

Eleanor smiled and nodded, "I know. That was just scary."

Jenny smiled and nodded until the door was Flung open and Kit ran in. "He's here!" was all she had to say.

They walked in the front door, Carols insisting on making a grand entrance, to complete silence. Chris looked around and smiled at the sight of the stunned teachers and parents until one teacher broke the silence but running up to him and asking her to sign her notebook, which he did and then looked around. "Don't be quiet on our account," he said laughingly. While the principal seemed to be having an argument with his wife, the others began talking loudly again, maybe not quite like before, but they talked. The principal seemed to have finished his talk with his wife and promptly walked over and joined the party at the front.

"I'm Mr. Deary, I spoke to you Mr. Darcy on the phone a while ago."

"Yes." Will said while Chris laughed.

"Don't be such a wet blanket Will," he said as the principal's wife dragged three women up to them with a young man following behind.

"Mr. Bingley, Mr. Darcy and Mr. Fitzwilliam, may I present Eleanor Bennet and her sister Jenny and Kit…well I'm not sure what Kit's last name is, she's always been my kitty kat-"

Chris smiled and asked Jenny if perhaps she could show him where to get a drink, while Will and Carols walked off to people watch…or at least Will walked off to get a drink and Carols followed him a step behind which left Laura and Ritchie to Eleanor, Kit and Denny. Mrs. Deary, upon seeing that her plan had worked (or at least she thought it had) had disappeared back to her husband.

Denny and Kit soon excused themselves and went to talk to the head of the languages department Mary Stroud, leaving Eleanor to apologise for Mrs. Deary's behaviour.

"I'd say she wasn't always like that, but that would be a lie." She told them, "She's _always_ like that."

"Is that your mother?" Laura asked kindly as they walked around the room.

"No," Eleanor couldn't say quickly enough. "She's the principal's wife and thinks she runs this place." Laura and Ritchie smiled as several parents and teachers looked at them openly. Laura and Ritchie soon were taken away by some well meaning teachers leaving Eleanor to make polite conversation to Mrs. Deary.

Mrs. Deary was watching Jenny and Chris as Jenny tucked as small piece of hair behind her ear as she laughed at something Chris had told her. "A match well made, he has money, and she has heart."

Eleanor groaned, "Please Mrs. Deary, my sister doesn't need a matchmaker."

"Then why is she still single?"

Eleanor shrugged, "just got out of a tricky situation, she's shy."

"She should tell him how she feels now; get it over and done with."

"No, they've only just started talking, they need to get to know him a little better."

"Well, you keep your ideas and I'll keep mine."

Eleanor nodded and walked off muttering about senile old women who couldn't help but match-make other people's lives.

She walked past Ritchie and smiled as he implored to his friend Will to "be social" you need to work with these people."

Will rolled his eyes, "you and Chris have taken away the only two people worth talking to."

"What about Eleanor?" Ritchie smiled, thinking that she'd kept walking.

"She is alright, I suppose. But not tolerable for me." Ritchie rolled his eyes as Eleanor almost choked. She kept walking as Ritchie reprimanded his friend for his pride.

"Leave him alone Ritchie," Carols said walking up. "There isn't anyone worth talking to anyway. They're all kind of sad really, waiting for some celebrity to rub off on them."

Ritchie grumbled and left as Carols was standing very closely to Will talking to him about the standards of society in this county.

He made his way to his wife who was in animate conversation with Eleanor about politics, he wrapped his arms around her and told her that he'd had a dealing with the shrew. She laughed and explained to a confused Eleanor that 'The Shrew' was what they called Carols.

"Is she that bad?"

"Worse," Ritchie laughed and Eleanor turned to watch as Carols flirted with a non-interested Will. "She's fighting a loosing battle; she just doesn't know it yet."

Eleanor laughed and that night she went home and listened to Jenny go on about Chris this and Chris that and laughed, thankful that her sister had found someone to talk non-stop about.

**Please Read and Review. **

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	4. Chapter 4

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DISCLAIMER: I do not pretend to own any of the works by Jane Austen or any other author and their characters. I am but a lowly servant.**

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Weeks past amide classes and frantic calls from Jenny to tell her about Chris and his romantic side. They'd been to almost every café in the entire city and Jenny had watched as he graciously signed autographs until such a time when it would be acceptable to duck out and run away, Jenny's hand clasped in his. It was these flights that entertained Jenny so much, she loved the way he looked after her, not that she felt that a woman's place is such that a man should need to protect her, but it felt…safe somehow.

They'd exchanged phone numbers that night at the parent teacher thing and hadn't stopped talking to – or about – each other since.

Will would roll his eyes and even ventured to caution his friend against this unknown woman who might be in it only for the money, but Chris would have none of it. To him, Jenny was the end of a lifelong search, the One. This of course gave reason for Carols to laugh, Will to roll his eyes and Ritchie and Laura to smile secretly to each other over the head of their son.

Chris would laugh it off and go to his room to wait patiently for another text from her telling him anything, what she had for dinner even, he didn't mind, just that it was from her.

Jenny wasn't much better, she did txt him about such trivialities such as what she had for dinner, what she was watching on TV, things that he seemed to lap up. Charlie would laugh, spouting some 'reasoning' against love which Jenny would immediately overthrow while Eleanor remained the steady mediator.

Will paced the room a piece of paper in his hands; he kept reading it over trying to find a loophole in the printed email.

"What is it Will?" Ritchie asked wandering into the room, Jack at his heels.

"Our Aunt has found the art of email," his cousin muttered, "She's sending a legal person over."

"Why?"

"Something with the school, I don't know. She wants him to stay in a hotel, thank god, and for us to introduce him to 'all the girls'".

"There's Girls?" Ritchie looked up from where he was sitting to see Will laugh slightly.

"She thinks so. Anyway, He'll be here tonight."

"Great, then what?"

"I suppose we'll have to organise a meeting of some sort with Mr. Deary. Hopefully we'll only see him at these meetings"

Ritchie rolled his eyes, hating the legalities and then Jack brought him a story book and they sat there reading about Spot's adventures in the garden.

And thus life continued until one day Mr. Deary called Eleanor into his office, "What am I to do?" he asked her, showing her a letter.

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17 February 2006

Mr. Alan Deary

St. Helens Grammar School

16 Longbourne Terrace

Norland

To ensure that the terms are carried out correctly, my superior Lady Catherine Debouf, wishes to inform you that she will be sending a representative of her legal counsel to the school within the next few days and will expect to see a representative of your legal counsel present to welcome him. The representative in question is a Mr. Jerry Collins who has been with Lady Debouf for many years and is her trusted servant.

This procedure of legal counselors is normal in my business Mr. Deary and should not be seen as any sort of attack on you or your school. Lady Catherine Debouf is sometimes seen as rather traditional in her ways.

Yours Sincerely

William Darcy

CEO of D Productions

LRW

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Eleanor looked at the letter and then at Mr. Deary. "When does this 'legal counsel' person show up?"

Mr. Deary shrugged, "No idea, but Eleanor you know that we have no lawyers here, we can't afford them."

"I know a lawyer; do you want me to ask for her help?" Mr. Deary looked thankful to say the least. "She's fully qualified and everything."

"That would be lovely," Mr. Deary said. "Can you give her a call?"

Eleanor nodded and excused herself to call Charlie.

"Hello, Charlotte Lucas how can I help you?"

"Charlie? It's El, I need a favour."  
Charlie laughed and after a quick explanation of the situation she readily agreed. "When shall I come and have a look at the documents?"

"Whenever, now if you're free," she said looked at Mr. Deary's happy face. Charlie agreed to come over to the school and have a look at the 'legal stuff' and left Eleanor in Mr. Deary's office watching him smile broadly.

"Whatever would I do without you? We don't even teach legal studies here." Eleanor smiled.

"I know, Charlie's good at this kind of thing, she'll sort it out."

Sort it out she did. Within five minutes Charlie had the legal documents sorted out ready for whatever representative 'Lady' Debouf wished to throw at them.

The next day someone called Jerry Collins scheduled an appointment with Mr. Deary for 10 am saying to the secretary that 10 in the morning is the perfect time for business, neither to close to breakfast so as to feel bloated, to too close to lunch for your mind to be elsewhere. Mr. Deary invited Charlie, Eleanor and Kit (a senior representative) to the meeting and the four of them sat patiently waiting. When the clock in the town hall struck 10 am the man they had been waiting for stepped into the room with a briefcase and a small hat upon his roundish face.

"Mr. Jerry Collins at your service Mr. Deary."

Mr. Deary shook the offered hand and introduced his companions, as Mr. Collins's hand shook Eleanor's he chuckled and stared into her eyes. Eleanor shank back a little, this small man gave her the creeps. Charlie smiled pleasantly and Kit smirked and the meeting officially began.

"So what are your concerns Mr. Collins?" Charlie asked opening her folder of papers.

"Simply this, Lady Debouf accepts that this is a school and you need to have the students and we have every intention of asking some of the students to be extras in the movie, but is there anyway we can get them to simply…disappear for the duration of filming?"

Mr. Deary looked startled. "Excuse me?"

"Well, is there another campus they can go to? Another site?"

Eleanor smiled forcefully, "I'm afraid not Mr. Collins. You see, this is a school and at a school kids are taught things."

"Miss Bennet I don't expect you to understand this, but try, we are a multimillion dollar company and we need to have your auditorium, but the actual students will simply get in the way."

"Have the auditorium Mr. Collins, by all means, but the students need to stay here." Mr. Collins looked up at Mr. Deary for the height difference was vast.

"Is that your final word on the matter?"

Mr. Deary nodded and showed Mr. Collins the door, they shook hands politely and Charlie and Eleanor followed Mr. Collins to the door on Mr. Deary's pleas.

"Thank you Charlotte," Mr. Collins said as Charlie held the door for him.

"Miss Bennet, I hope to see you very soon." Eleanor was startled at the look he gave her, it was quite disconcerting.

They watched him drive off and Eleanor smiled and shook her head. "That man is a joke," she told her friend as they made their way back up to the principal's office. Charlie smiled and laughed with her friend until a student ran up to Eleanor and asked her about question 5 of their homework. While her friend tried to explain it to the girl, she continued upward. Mr. Deary's secretary came running out at her and through half breaths she asked Charlie if she was free for a follow up meeting with a Mr. Darcy and Mr. Collins tomorrow at lunch time. Charlie nodded; it wasn't like she had a life.

Charlie and Eleanor went out to lunch later that day, Jenny was with Chris somewhere and 'couldn't make it.' Charlie ordered a usual and looked at Eleanor. "He likes you, you know that right?"

"What am I, a chronic flirt or something?" Eleanor laughed and leant back in her chair. "At least I can talk to people of the opposite sex."

Charlie glowered "that's unfair."

"I know, and I'm sorry." Eleanor was still laughing when someone brought their lunch. The absence of Jenny did nothing to their conversation other than give it another topic. "What do you think their doing?"

"Ooh, anything, something a little naughty perhaps. I mean, he is an actor."  
Eleanor hit Charlie lightly over the shoulder, "It's Jenny remember?"

That seemed to be all the explanation they needed and continued their conversation until Charlie had to run to a meeting and Eleanor to a class.

Will sat in his study and flipped through papers and contracts and scripts trying to organise a schedule for the shoot when there was a knock at the door.

"Yes?"

Carols walked in with a dressing gown tied tightly around her small waist. "That Mr. Collins or something called, he needs to meet you."

"He can meet me tomorrow at the school."

Carols smiled, "I love it when you talk like that."

Will was suddenly alert and annoyed. "Look, Carols, please can't you just stop this?"

He ducked around the door and out into the hallway where he went into the safety of his room and a lock on the door.

There with his laptop he began an email.

**Gina**

**Hey, I'm sorry, but this might take longer than I thought it would. I will be back for your birthday, you know I'd never miss that, but do you mind f I only just make it? I'm REALLY sorry.**

**Anyway, things are normal here…Carols still scares me witless and Chris seems to have found a new girl, must be careful of this one. She's an 'artist'. 'Con artist' I think. **

**Sorry about that, anyway, I'd better go, I'm quite tired. Ill call you soon, promise.**

**Will**

The next day at noon Mr. William Darcy walked over the threshold to the school and into the principal's office, Chris Bingley and Ritchie Fitzwilliam next to him. Chris smiled at Eleanor and Ritchie smiled pleasantly. "Good afternoon Mr. Darcy, Mr. Bingley, Mr. Fitzwilliam. I assume you know Lady Debouf's legal counsellor Mr. Collins?"

Mr. Darcy looked at the small man looking up at him eagerly, "No, I haven't."

"But you're Lady Debouf's nephews aren't you? Mr. Darcy and Mr. Fitzwilliam?"

Mr. Darcy sighed, "Yes, she is my aunt."

Ritchie came to stand next to Eleanor as the others became involved in legalities. "Will hates to mention the family connection," he told her. "Makes it seem like he got in easily."

Eleanor smiled at him, "I'm sure, well, did he?"

Ritchie laughed, "No, he worked his arse of to get where he is. He's very strict about that."

"He's very strict about many things."

Ritchie smiled while Will indicated that whatever legal jargon was going on, it was going to take a while. "I had better go," Eleanor said, "I have a class."

Mr. Collins turned in his seat and stopped her. "Miss. Eleanor, you are needed here for a moment."

Will looked up and from Mr. Collins to Eleanor and back again and said that should they have need of Miss. Bennet's services, they would call for her.

Eleanor walked out of the room and into her class that had been taken over by a new sub teacher.

"Mr. Wickham?" Lucy put her hand in the air; nobody had noticed Eleanor watching through the window in the door. "Where do we hand in our forms for the trip?"

The substitute, a Mr. Wickham looked confused as Eleanor walked in and took Lucy's form from her hands.

"Thank you Lucy." She said and turned to the teacher.

"You must be Mr. Wickham, lovely to meet you."

They shook hands and she looked up into his green eyes, she'd always had a thing for green eyes…and his blonde hair fell into his face and she smiled.

She might be sick more often.

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	5. Chapter 5

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**Chapter 5. DISCLAIMER: I do not pretend to own any of the works by Jane Austen or any other author and their characters. I am but a lowly servant.**

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The meetings with Mr. Collins continued for a month or so and 'Jerry' continued to look at Eleanor in a way that make her shake. Mr. Darcy seemed to think they might want to be alone and kept finding reasons to leave, but she would quickly give him a 'look' and he would stay put.

Then one day, Mr. Collins stayed behind after a meeting and watched Eleanor in the staffroom as she organised her next class. "Miss Bennet?"

Eleanor whirled around, "Mr. Collins, I didn't know you were still here." She turned back to her paperwork hoping against hope that he would simply disappear.

"I seem to have misplaced a small notebook of mine," he told her, "it is filled with…ideas…and I should like to have it returned to me. You have not passed by it have you?"

"No, sorry, Mr. Collins."

"Oh, well, it was filled with what to say to women…to make them feel special."

Eleanor stared at the papers in front of her fighting a losing battle against the laughter welling up inside her. "Really?" she squeaked.

"Yes, it's been a god send of late Miss Bennet."

Suddenly he was next to her…KNEELING next to her. "Mr. Collins," Eleanor leapt up out of her seat and stared at him.

"Miss Bennet. I have been meaning to make my feelings known to you," Eleanor gawked at him. He couldn't be serious. Could he? "I have been a pawn to your affections since the day we met, I must ask…I must plead with you, to take my hand." Eleanor was silent, "You are soundless," he observed, "your admiration for me must be greater than I expected-"

"Mr. Collins, if I have been silent then it is only out of the hope that I might wake from this Nightmare. You can't be serious, I've known you for only a few Weeks! And now you're asking to Marry Me? You're more insane than I thought."

"I've heard that women these days like to reject a suitor the first time as a test for his devotion-"

"Please understand. You are the Last man on earth I'd ever marry."

Mr. Collins looked up at her and stood up. "I shall leave you, but know this. I will not reproduce my offer again should you change your mind."

Eleanor rolled her eyes, "have no fear of that Mr. Collins, my mind is made up."

She watched him leave and tell someone in the hall that the woman inside was mad and then slammed the door behind him.

She half wondered who was outside, but didn't care enough to have a look. She gathered her books and went to her class. "Now guys, I've had a pretty cruddy day, so how about we watch the movie version of _First Impressions?_" her students didn't have much to say against the idea and they watched silently for the double lesson.

That night she called Charlie hoping to go out for a drink to get the afternoon out of her head, but the conversation didn't go as planned.

Eleanor: Hey Charlie, you wont believe what happened today.

Charlie: Hey Eleanor, sorry, but now isn't a great time.

Eleanor: Oh? What are you up to?

Charlie: I'm just going out with a friend, look, the taxis here, I have to go. Ill talk to you later.

But Charlie didn't 'talk to her later', in fact, Charlie didn't turn up to their usual lunch 'meeting', or any other time they were meant to meet up at all so Eleanor took to having lunch with Laura Fitzwilliam and her son Jack who she had formed a fast friendship with.

One day, a week or two after the disastrous proposal fiasco, Charlie called.

"Hey, I have some news that I don't think you'll like." She said as a greeting. Frankly Eleanor was too happy to have her back to care.

"What is it?"

"You might have noticed, I haven't been around much?"

"Oh?"

"Well, I've met someone, he's nice…and seems to adore me".

"Who is he? Do I know him?" Eleanor was excited, Charlie had had one bad experience…more of an extravaganza really and had sworn off love.

"He's Jerry, Jerry Collins?"

"You're going out with the whelp? That…Idiot? Why? Why are you with him?"

"He loves me Eleanor, he said so, and quite frankly, my time is running out. I'm 36 Ellie, I need to settle down soon, I can't live like I have been my entire life. What about kids eh? I don't have much time."

"Kids? With Collins?"

"Well, he's rich and has a pool, and there's a pool guy?"

"Charlie!"

"I know, I know. At least kids with Collins will be Kids! They'll be Mine, Collins works to hard to care anyway."

Eleanor shook her head, "I can't believe this, you're serious aren't you?"

"Yes! I am, I…I just wanted you to know."

Eleanor nodded and looked to the ceiling. "I know." Then she hung up.

She was in a foul mood for the rest of the week and nothing Denny, Kit or even Johnny Wickham could do to bring her out of it.

Johnny would bring her coffees while Kit would help her with her marking, but other than that, the life almost seemed to be seeping out of Eleanor Bennet.

Then a call came from Jenny. "Hey Eleanor, I haven't talked to you in ages, how are you?"

Eleanor smiled a ghost of a smile at her sister's voice and feigned happiness. "Me? What about you? How are you and Chris?"

Jenny sighed, "Brilliant. It's like a Dream!"

Eleanor smiled, happy to see her sister like this. "What have you done?"

"We went sailing the other day, we almost got lost." Eleanor laughed and listened as her sister gave her a day by day account of Chris's kindness. "He's sister's lovely, she seems to like me."

"It's impossible not to like you Jen," Eleanor laughed.

She could almost hear Jenny blush as a call waiting came through. "I'll be one minute Jen, got another call."

"Hello?"

"I'm getting married."

"What?"

"I'm marrying Collins."

Eleanor sighed, she couldn't stay mad at her, but…Collins? "Why?"

"He asked. It's probably the only offer I'm going to get." Eleanor shook her head but knew better than to argue. "I want you to be my bridesmaid, please?" Eleanor sighed again, "Please. Tell my you're happy for me, please."

"I am," Eleanor croaked, "I am."

Charlie laughed a nervous laugh, "you'll be my bridesmaid?" Eleanor consented. "I should warn you, Collins is inviting Will Darcy and Co, will that be a problem?"

"What? No, It'll be fine." Eleanor smiled and then swapped back to the conversation with Jenny. "She's marrying Collins."

"Collins? He's that one you emailed me about right? The idiot?"

"Yes!"

"Oh Ellie."

"I have to go," she told her sister and hung up. Eleanor walked back to her staffroom and sat at her small cubicle.

"What's got you down?" Johnny Wickham came around the corner and smiled his toothy smile.

"My friends marrying a whelp," Eleanor smiled a diminutive smile. "I can't do anything about it."

"It's your friends life, she'll live it they way she wants, with or without your help." Eleanor glared at him and smiled.

"Would you come with?"

"Who else will be there?" Johnny said turned a chair around and sitting on it lazily.

"My sister, her boyfriend…the movie producer Will Darcy and his colleagues…random people I think." Johnny's face fell.

"I'm afraid I can't make it."  
Eleanor raised her eyebrows, "I haven't even told you the date."  
Johnny smiled, "Fine, but I don't think I'll be terribly welcome."

"Why is that?"

"Arsey- Darcy will be there."

"So?"

"So? So I grew up with the arse."

Eleanor wrinkled her nose, "ouch."

"You're telling me." He sighed and smiled. "His father was my mother's boss. We lived on the estate, the old man loved me. Then he died and Darcy kicked me out."

"What? That's completely unfair!"

"You tell him that, I was about to marry a girl there, I loved her, and Darcy kicked me out. Of course I couldn't marry her if I had no money, so I got a job and went through uni."

Eleanor smiled an encouraging smile. "Not coming then?"

Wickham looked her in the eyes, an odd little glint in his eyes that Eleanor couldn't place. "I'll think about it, how about that?"

"That would be great."

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	6. Chapter 6

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**DISCLAIMER: I do not pretend to own any of the works by Jane Austen or any other author and their characters. I am but a lowly servant.**

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He didn't turn up, she didn't know if she expected him to, but either way, he wasn't around. Eleanor watched her friend say her vows solemnly and without a smile, Charlie's father didn't notice as he kissed her and sat down, Jenny noticed though she was looking at Chris who was seated in the second row next to the odious Will Darcy.

Eleanor held her small bouquet and watched stiffly as her friend gave away her life to someone who was obviously indifferent.

"I now pronounce you Man and Wife." They kissed quickly and without passion as the priest introduced Mr…and Mrs Jerome Collins. Eleanor smiled as they walked down the aisle hand in hand and followed a few steps behind.

Even without the love, the wedding was beautiful. They sat at a large table and watched the others dancing until Mr. Collins tapped the side of his champagne flute and called for attention. "Lady Catherine Debouf sends her apologies," he told everyone, "but she could not make it to this joyous occasion" That seemed to be it. That was the speech he gave on his wedding day. Eleanor scoffed into the toast to Lady Debouf and looked at Jenny. But Jenny wasn't watching.

Chris had just taken her hand and lead her to the dance floor. She watched as Jenny's face lit up and laughed as Chris turned her around the floor professionally. They were in love.

Someone coughed behind her and she turned to see Will Darcy staring at her. True, Charlie's mother had…adjusted the cleavage on her dress, but it was no reason for him to be staring at her like her was. "Can I help you Mr. Darcy?"

"Would you care to dance with me Miss Bennet?"

Eleanor stared at him in shock, but this man hated her? And he wanted to Dance with her? Was he ill? Without her brain realising, she seemed to be standing up and nodding. NODDING! ACCEPTING!

They danced in silence, the opposite to Jenny and Chris who were smiling at each other and loving every minute of it while Eleanor and Will remained silent, they twirled around the floor without saying a word to each other, both lost in their own thoughts.

"Don't you talk Mr. Darcy?" Eleanor finally asked.

"And you always talk?" She smiled knowingly.

"Well, I think talking adds to dancing, don't you?"

"I've always thought it took something away from it."

"Well, Mr. Darcy, this dance is rather empty as it is, maybe talking about the wedding will add something to it."

Will looked at her, he didn't understand this girl. She seemed to 'get' him so easily, or thought she understood him from the first minute. Yet, she was far more difficult. She could be serious, like at the meetings, she could laugh off any situation and she hated him. She Hated Him. He had a vague idea of why she might hate him, but so easily? Without even finding out what is was about him that she hated, she seemed to hate him. Maybe this dance idea hadn't been such a good one, then again, if he hadn't Laura would have never let him forget it. But this? This couldn't have been worse.

Finally it ended while Eleanor thanked him stiffly and went off to join her friend. Will watched her go until Laura came up to him smiling broadly.

"She'll come around." She told him.

Will shook his head, he had to disagree. "No she wont, she's too stubborn to do that."

"Almost as stubborn as you?" Laura was still laughing.

Will smiled and shook his head, "maybe."

The slightly happy couple left later that night in a limo on their way to Paris for a few weeks. Eleanor and Jenny waved goodbye tears falling down their faces. Chris put an arm around Jenny's shoulder making both sisters smile and the three of them went back to the food.

The next day it was work as usual as a new teacher, Miss. Leah Bernit arrived to take over from a Mrs. Taylor who had moved away to marry this old widow she'd fallen for. Leah was young, not quite as young as Eleanor but young enough to cause a stir among the older teachers. Unlike Eleanor, Leah was a hard-core-party-animal and would come to school with bags under her eyes and her hair all over her head. But Eleanor didn't dwell on the new teacher that much, not when Johnny Wickham (after apologising profusely for not coming to the wedding) had asked her out to dinner.

Unlike her usual self, Eleanor spent a record 15 minutes deciding what to wear and eventually stealing something from Jenny's wardrobe. The restaurant was wonderful, Eleanor didn't notice that Johnny talked rather a lot…about himself and his work, but concentrated on his blue eyes that seemed to hold her.

They danced at a nearby club, the first time she'd been to one, and Eleanor got…more than a little tipsy.

She woke up the next morning thankful to see herself in her own bed, alone, but not thankful for the splitting headache that seemed to be an aftermath. _Never Again_, she silently vowed, _Never ever ever again_.

In the back of her mind, Eleanor knew that Johnny wasn't the man for her, he was definitely the man for a lot of other women – handsome good looks, twinkle in the eye, willing to pay – but not for her. But she was having fun, bounds of fun.

Then one day a call came from Jenny. "He's leaving!" Jenny sobbed. Eleanor didn't need to be told another thing before she arrived at her sister's apartment. "Carols just called me, she said they found another location and that they're about to leave." Eleanor wrapped her arms around the slender form of her sister and let her talk, knowing that that's what Jenny wanted to do. "He didn't say anything about it, I don't think he knew. And then he sent me a text saying that he'd email me…but he doesn't have my email address and…and…I know…he'll be ….too busy…" she sobbed into Eleanor's shoulder as Eleanor fumed inside. How could anyone treat her sister like this?

"He'll come back soon," she told Jenny, "don't worry."

"Don't make promises you can't keep." Eleanor couldn't answer that and they stayed in a stony silence as Jenny sobbed quietly into Eleanor's increasingly wet shirt.

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	7. Chapter 7

**DISCLAIMER: I do not pretend to own any of the works by Jenny Austen or any other author and their characters. I am but a lowly servant. **

**AN: Sorry about the delay everyone - laptop hates me**

It would be three months before she saw Charlie again. Mr. Collins liked to be near his boss, Lady Debouf and had moved interstate very quickly after being employed by her ladyship. As a dutiful wife that Charlie had resigned to be, she allowed herself to be dragged away from all she knew. That was one of the few things she didn't understand about her friend, her acquiescence to a situation that Eleanor would have objected too. Largely objected to.

Therefore they had to make do with long and explicit emails to each other and lengthy conversations on the phone about their lives. Charlie's was quiet to be perfectly honest, she didn't mind it. Only working part-time for Lady Debouf meant that she didn't have to see the 'old bat' more than once a week at meetings and she saw Mr. Collins (she could never bring herself to call him Jerry) not very often at all, taking to her small study and simply whiling away the hours immersed in consulting work for the local practise. But, there was one piece of news that shocked them both.

"Eleanor? I'm pregnant."

Eleanor was silent, she was sitting in her living room with a cup of tea that promptly ended up all over her (thankfully) brown skirt. "You're What?"

"Pregnant!"

Both of them were silent until Eleanor sighed. "How did Mr. C take it?"

"He doesn't know."

"Charlie!"

"I know, I know, I'll tell him soon."

"Good."

"Would you come over?"

"Charlie, I can't afford it, you know that."

"What if I paid? Please? I really need you over here."

Eleanor sighed, Charlie knew her too well. "Fine."

A week later, the day after the school holidays started Eleanor was on her way over to Charlie's house via plane.

Charlie met her at the airport, her stomach already showing that she was three months pregnant, she hugged her friend tightly and thanked her for coming. For despite her brave face, Charlie was lonely here in this relatively unknown place and that feeling at anytime is unnerving.

They walked outside, Eleanor only having a small bag with her, and into the car that Mr. C had given Charlie as a wedding gift. "Nice," Eleanor said as she slipped into the FWD.

Charlie shrugged, "it almost makes up for having an indifferent husband."

Eleanor looked at her, worried that she'd become depressed or something, that is until Charlie cracked a smile and laughed a half laugh.

"You'll meet the old bag tonight," she told her. "Mr. C has organised a 'dinner engagement' for us. Lady D's got some guests over, I have no idea who, and Mr. C wants us to meet them."

"You've told him?" Eleanor looked at her friend knowingly as she studied the car.

"He guessed," Charlie admitted not exactly saddened by the situation.

Eleanor laughed out loud, "The one time he's observant." Charlie laughed a laugh that was closer to her old self than anything Eleanor had heard since the wedding.

"What about you?" Charlie asked. "Found anyone yet?"

Eleanor laughed, "I don't think so, but when I do I'll tell you."

Charlie smiled, "good to know," she said.

They drove through countryside and eventually reached a road…not a road, a Very long driveway. "We're a little late so we have to go straight to Lady Debouf." Charlie exclaimed. "Do you have anything else you could quickly change into?"

Eleanor gave her friend a look which made Charlie laugh. Regardless, Eleanor checked in her bag for any sign of a 'suitable' outfit. There wasn't much.

"Couldn't I just put a jacket over the top of this?" She pointed to the white singlet she wore with the black skirt.

Charlie took her eyes off the road for a moment to check her friend over and nodded. So as they ran up the steps to the small castle that was Rosings Hall, Eleanor pulled on a small black jacket.

A young man met them at the door, "I didn't think people still had servants," Eleanor whispered to her friend who could only shrug.

The man lead them through the rooms and corridors until they came to a small sitting room. Mr. Collins rushed up to his wife to help her sit down (not that she needed it) and turned to introduce Eleanor to 'her ladyship'. He beckoned Eleanor over to where an elderly, but nonetheless imposing lady sat and introduced her. Lady Catherine Debouf was a stately lady straight from the 18th Century. She sat with a ramrod straight back and surveyed the guest. She didn't say anything, but somehow indicated to Mr. Collins that she was agreeable as Mr. Collins continued with the introductions. First was Mrs. Annie Debouf - Rushwood, Lady Catherine's daughter and her husband Howard and their small son Peter, who was about 2 and sitting in his father's lap as his mother looked sick enough to drop dead at any minute. But it was the next three that surprised Eleanor the most, she'd always known who Lady Catherine's two nephews were, but she never expected to see them here. "And of course you know Mr. Darcy and Mr. and Mrs. Fitzwilliam."

Eleanor smiled warmly at Laura and Ritchie while Will gave her a look that she couldn't decipher.

"I hear Miss. Bennet, that you are quite good at the piano, play something for us." Lady Catherine spoke slowly as though every word had its own power and force behind it.

"Then I'm sorry to say ma'am that you were misinformed," Eleanor felt she had to be civil here, one wrong move and you're dead. "I actually play extremely shoddily and whoever told you must be tone-deaf." For some reason Mr. Darcy seemed to find that comment extremely funny as he struggled to hold back laughter.

"Well then Miss. Bennet, you must Practice and live up to your reputation."

Eleanor paled; she couldn't be serious could she? Eleanor hadn't played the piano in Years and thought that last argument with her teacher would be the last she'd ever hear about the horrid thing. Apparently not.

Laura and Ritchie gave her pitying looks as she was shown the grand piano by the same man that lead them into the living room. She sat down at the stool and stared at the keys hoping against hope that somehow they would simply play for her. Nothing happened.

Ritchie and Laura came over with Laura telling her to budge over on the stool so she could sit down. Laura began to play a simple piece and made a few intentional mistakes as the three of them sat there tricking the old lady with Ritchie's son Jack sitting contently on his father's lap. Will came over after a few minutes and watched them all, he didn't talk until Eleanor spoke to Ritchie.

"Does you cousin even have a tongue?" Ritchie burst out into surprised laughter as Laura giggled into her playing.

Will looked at her, not glaring, there wasn't even hate behind those eyes. Simply confusion. "I have a tongue Miss. Bennet," he told her placing particular emphasis on her name. "I'm just not very good at talking to people I don't know."

"Then maybe you should practice," Eleanor told him looking up into his grey eyes.

"Like you are?"

Eleanor laughed and looked at Laura's fingers gliding over the keys, "my musical skills are a lost cause." She told him.

"William!" His aunt called out to him, for a moment he looked annoyed and then walked off to do her bidding.

"He's not that bad you know," Laura told her. "He saved this friend of his, I mean I heard about it from his sister, but this friend was 'in love' with this girl who only wanted his money, Will got him out of it."

Suddenly Eleanor was alert, "When was this?"

Laura shrugged not noticing anything different about her friend. "No idea, I just got an email from his sister yesterday telling me about it. It wasn't that long ago I don't think, maybe even when we were with you lot…but I don't know who she could have been talking about." Eleanor did.

Eleanor smiled but remained silent the rest of the night blatantly refusing to talk to anyone and on their way home she got a vast reprimand from Mr. Collins. But she wasn't thinking about that, she was dwelling on the fact that her sisters happiness and love had been ruined by Him.

The next day she managed to stay away from another visit to Rosings Hall with the excuse of jetlag and for half the day she simply stared at the phone considering whether or not to tell her sister. Eventually she decided not to, Jenny was just getting over it, why bring it up now?

Then there was a knock at the door.

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	8. Chapter 8

**DISCLAIMER: I do not pretend to own any of the works by Jenny Austen or any other author and their characters. I am but a lowly servant. **

**he he he IT"S HERE! i warned you didn't i :)**

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**(i think i might calm down soon...oo...have to go to work! well, read and review and make me happy when i come home PLEASE!)**

William watched her all through dinner, Her. The one thing that captivated him. Why? He didn't know and it annoyed him that he let her get to him like that. But something had changed, something had happened to make her suddenly become sullen and quiet. Charlie tried to introduce her into the conversation a few times at the dinner table but she evaded them. When she left he stood at the window and watched as Mr. Collins gave her grief because of her silence, and wanted to stop him. Why? Again, he didn't know. Again his brain failed him.

Laura came up to him and patted him on the back, she didn't say anything, she didn't know what to. But as she went with Annie, whose sickness of late had been rather horrific, to put Peter to bed he turned to Ritchie and moaned. That did nothing other than give Ritchie something to laugh about. "Uncle WILL!" a call came down the hall to the room as a young boy followed the sound and leapt into Will's arms. Jack Fitzwilliam asked his 'uncle' why he was sad.

"I'm not having a very good day," Will told the young boy.

"Does that mean that you won't play night cricket with me?" Jack asked worried over the future of his game.

"Nothing will ever stop me playing night cricket with you boyo." Will told the boy and took him outside, Ritchie following laughing.

LATER THE NEXT DAY

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Eleanor looked up, well, she didn't think He'd come over. "I have a problem…" he said walking into the room without his usual…confidence or air. "No, problem is the wrong word…a situation I am in that you might be able to help me out of."

"And what _problem _is that Mr. Darcy?" she asked not bothering to stand up.

"Well, you see, I like you…I don't know why. I didn't mean to start loving you, but it happened and try as I might I can't stop it. I seem to want to…conquer you, to be the one to tame you…god knows why. I don't want to think of what my aunt…or the rest of my family is going to think of this, but would you-"

"Whoa, I don't think so." Now Eleanor stood up. Who did he think he was? King or something? "How could you even _think_ that I'd Ever be 'conquered'? Are you even sober? I Hate you! Especially after what you did to Jenny-"

"Jenny? What did I ever to do her?"

"Idiot," Eleanor moaned. "I'm a magnet for idiots first Collins, now you." She looked at him, new fire in her eyes. "Jenny and Chris were happy! Really Happy! And then you take him away and don't even tell him that she Loves Him!"

Will looked really taken aback by this comment. "She only wanted his money."

Eleanor shook her head, "She would Never want someone because of money. She's happy as she is. And now, now she's really depressed. Because of what You did! And then there's the thing with Johnny."

"Johnny?...Johnny Wickham?"

"Yes, you kicked him out?"

Will looked at her angrily, "if that's how you stand on the situation."

"I am sorry to be such a _problem_ for you Mr. Darcy."

"Wait-"

"Please leave." Eleanor pointed to the door to make sure he got the message. "Now."  
He gave her one more look and then left silently closing the door behind him.

Eleanor sat on the chair and sobbed. Why was she sobbing? Why did she feel like this? She couldn't answer those.

A while later she went over to the computer to check her emails and book a flight home, Charlie could live without her for a few months longer.

There was a new message awaiting her:

_Miss.__ Eleanor Bennet: _

_Don't worry and think that this is another attempt to win you, but there were a few things in our argument that I would like the have the chance to clarify. _

_Firstly I must ask you to keep what you read here to yourself, should this information be released several members of my family would be devastated and it would be unlikely for them to recover. _

_To the first point: You sister's affections for my friend. _

_Upon consideration I have realised that my actions were unwarranted and unnecessary. What I did was wrong and I apologise for any inconvenience to you sister. _

_Now to the more serious point, that of Mr. Johnny Wickham. _

_As you may know, Mr. Wickham and I grew up together but were never great friends. Upon finishing school he was given the chance, by my late father, to attend Oxford or Cambridge. Wickham declined. Instead he chose a position in the armed forces and I didn't hear of him again until the week my father died when he came back asking for money. I declined. But he didn't leave again, I found out later that he had been dismissed from the forces and had started teaching. I came home one day to find that he had left, leaving my young sister Gina, only 15 at the time, pregnant. _

_I never heard of him again, until a while ago. _

_As you can see Miss. Bennet, I would appreciate your secrecy. _

_Yours etc _

_Mr. William Darcy _

Eleanor was stony silent. She felt a tear fall down her face, she didn't make to wipe it away, instead she simply booked a flight home for a couple of days away.

Charlie and Mr. Collins came home later that afternoon to see Eleanor printing her tickets. "You're leaving?" Charlie asked.

Eleanor nodded sadly. "I promise to come back in a few months to see this one," she patted her friend's stomach.

Charlie smiled. "I'll pay, don't even think of arguing." Eleanor smiled again, knowing her chances of winning an argument were less than minimal. "Thank you," her friend said.

That night the three of them went out to dinner without Lady Debouf. Mr. Collins talked to a friend he found at the bar while Eleanor and Charlie sat at a table and ate and talked. "What's Annie Debouf like?" Eleanor asked.

"She's so ill we don't really see her that often. Her son, Peter, he's always running around the place, really annoys Lady D. Though, sometimes, when Jack's there he becomes quiet and really sweet."

"Howard?"

"I don't know, to tell you the truth I didn't know Peter had a father until the other night."  
Eleanor laughed, "What? You've never seen him?"

"Nope." Charlie giggled into her orange juice.

Eleanor left a few days later, hugging Charlie tightly and smiling at Mr. Collins and then boarding the plane. As she watched the other passengers file in, she was sure she saw Mr. Darcy, but if it was him, he disappeared very quickly into the first class area.

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	9. Chapter 9

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DISCLAIMER: I do not pretend to own any of the works by Jenny Austen or any other author and their characters. I am but a lowly servant.**

**AN: The school that Eleanor teaches at is in fact co-ed, just thought I'd mention it.

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It was Will Darcy on the plan that day, he had to take a flight back to Eleanor's home city to take a transfer to England. He'd been away from home too long, he reasoned. It was time to take a break and leave the location search to Laura who didn't mind it at all. He hadn't seen Gina in weeks and needed to be back for her birthday, he'd promised and he couldn't not go.

He sat in his first class chair and would have fallen asleep, but She kept swimming around in his head. The way she had reacted to her sister's 'rejection' for lack of a better word. It was as if she really cared…of course she cared, how could she not? It was her sister and come to think of it, if it had been Gina he would have probably reacted the same way….

Stop! What was he thinking? Was he making excuses for her? For the way she told him that she hated him? He mustn't be thinking straight, it must have been the plane air or something.

Than again, maybe he was the one being unreasonable.

The transfer landed in England the next night after about 24 hours on a plane Will took the waiting car back to his home. Pemberly loomed up at him, just as it always did. Some might say it looked empty and that it could be turned into apartments or something, Will wouldn't hear of it. It had been in his family for years and that was how it was going to stay. He always saw it as…well…homely, it was warm to him, friendly, to him. Especially when his younger sister Gina would run down the front stairs and into his arms.

Gina Darcy was sixteen, "almost seventeen" she would say just for the sake of it. Until the 'situation' with Johnny Wickham, Gina had been a fun loving girl who wasn't afraid of anything. Then Johnny came back. Gina was slowly returning to the young girl from before, but Will still worried about her. As usual, as the car drove up the drive to the house and Will saw his sister run down the stairs and just managed to close the door before she leapt at him. "Will! I didn't think you were coming until tomorrow!"

"Change of plan," Will told her as they walked up the stairs and to the grand house. "So, what are you going to do for your birthday?"

Gina was quiet, "I wasn't thinking of doing much, maybe just the traditional?"

Will smiled and hugged her close, "wonderful." He told her, knowing that that was what she wanted to hear.

Later that night at dinner Gina asked him why he came home early, and after much skirting around the topic he gave in. "I was sort of rejected."

"Is she that teacher from the school?" Will nodded while Gina smiled simply.

"I'd like to meet her someday."

"Sorry Gin-gin, but I don't think that's going to happen sometime soon."  
Gina smiled at the use of her pet name and nodded though disappointed. "Maybe you just need to show her what I see."

"What do you see?"

"Not what the tabloids do." Gina smiled and refused to elaborate.

Eleanor sat on her suitcase watching as the students waved farewell to their parents and the parents worry and fret that there was only one teacher going with them. None of the students seemed to mind of course but that didn't seem to matter. The chaos in that area was unimaginable. The call had just gone out that they needed to board the plane and people were falling over other people's suitcases and tripping into each other and basically it was a mess. A mess that is, until Eleanor took charge, stood up and called for attention. "Ladies and Gentlemen, don't worry about your kids, they are perfectly safe with me but I'm afraid that I must ask you to please stand back so that I can briefly talk to them all." As the parents hesitantly stepped back, Eleanor turned to the kids in front of her. Six girls, Lucy being one of them and four boys looked eager and happy to be there basically. "Now, guys, a few things. Firstly, you all realise that you know, basic rules apply here right? You know, do what I tell you, don't go anywhere without telling me first etc etc. Okay?" they all nodded, eager to get away and Eleanor had to agree with them there. They said one more farewell and were off. Eleanor just as nervous as anyone as they sat in their seats watching movies and playing games.

Lucy sat next to her teacher and they talked like there was no difference between them, that was one of the miracles of Eleanor Bennet. The students saw her as a friend not a teacher rather than the other way around. "What was his name?" she asked.

Eleanor turned around and looked at her, "what?"

"You've been kinda sad lately, I assumed it was a guy."

Eleanor smiled and laughed a forced laugh that Lucy noticed. Lucy's 'friend' Andrew was sitting next to them both and laughed. "You're in love Miss." He told her casually.

"Thank you for that Andrew," Eleanor smiled and rolled her eyes. "You are as well you realise?"

The comment had the desired effect and caused the two of them to shut up and blush.

_This is going to be a long trip_, Eleanor smiled and placed the earphones on her head and relaxed into the movie's calming opening score, or however calming "Yo Ho Yo Ho a pirate's life for me" could be

They reached England tired, but no worse for wear. Eleanor had organised a bus earlier and they all piled inside grateful for the warmth. The bus ride was traditional including a rousing rendition of "9999 Beers on the Wall" which Lucy and Andrew lead.

Eleanor rolled her eyes and when they reached the hotel they all ran into the rooms, the three girl ones and the two boys ones, and dived under the covers. Eleanor went to her own room and placed her clothing in the compartments and checked over her schedule. They were in London for two weeks and then would travel by boat to Paris stay in Paris for three days and would then spend several days between Paris, Germany and Turkey studying the first and second world wars. But tonight was a 'bludge' day, as one of the boys had so eloquently but it and they weren't meant to do anything in particular which also meant that they would rent out movies and have a movie night with Pizza in Eleanor's room. Lucy and another girl, Nicky helped her set out mattresses on the ground as the others all came in with their pyjamas. The boys were initially worried that their 'reps' would be ruined if people heard that they had done this, but then Nicky and Lucy drew up a 'contract' stating that what went said Miss. Bennet's room stayed in Miss. Bennet's room. Everyone signed and then the boys settled down and stopped complaining after the first movie, Grecian history made entertaining, finished and didn't even complain when someone begged for a Pirate movie.

They stayed up late, using jet-lag as an excuse and when Eleanor finally ushered them to bed everyone agreed that they would have the 'anniversary' of that night every year.

The next day…or afternoon depending on how exact you wish to be, they all set out for the famous British Museum.

Eleanor handed them all booklets, a treasure hunt a-it-were with the prize being that the winning pair decided where to go out to dinner that night, and set them off at a run.

She wandered around, watching them for an hour or so, it's a big museum therefore a bigger booklet. She came to Lucy and Andrew and followed them for a while, smiling as they begged her for answers.

"Queen Mary," Lucy muttered searching the display, "when the heck was she born?"

"1516," a young woman said walking up to them pointing to the date on the board in front of them. Lucy thanked her gratefully and introduced herself.

"Gina," the woman said happily. "Gina Darcy."

Eleanor looked at the woman, the same grey eyes, the same nose. "This is our teacher, Miss. Eleanor Bennet," Lucy said smiled and pointing to Eleanor.

Gina looked shocked and delighted. "My brother's told me all about you," she told her.

"He has?"

Gina smiled and nodded, "Yes, it's all good, I promise."

"Your brother isn't here is he?" Eleanor asked getting interesting looks from Lucy and Andrew.

"Of course he is, he's just coming."

Gina turned to the doorway and there he was. Just like she remembered him, but something was different, lighter, and brighter.

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**Please Read and Review. The faster you review the faster I update.

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	10. Chapter 10

**DISCLAIMER: I do not pretend to own any of the works by Jenny Austen or any other author and their characters. I am but a lowly servant. **

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AN: Just a note, the Game of Bang is used in this chapter. If you do not know this game then I pity you and please ask your drama teacher who probably knows a version. If they don't then PM me and I shall explain.

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Will walked up to them confused, "you seem to be in the wrong country Miss. Bennet," he told her smiling a smile that she had never seen before, like they were on his turf now.

"I'm here with a school group, we're studying the second world war and other moments in mainly British history."

"Wouldn't France or Germany be better for that?"

"We're going there," Andrew told him, "in two weeks."

"Well, that's brilliant." Will smiled. "I'm going there myself with Gina, birthday thing."

Gina glowed, "just a little tradition we have, first the British museum and then France, then Germany and then Italy."

"Why there?" Lucy asked, "if you don't mind my asking."

Gina grinned again, "it's fine, it's no big secret or anything. That's exactly where our parents went when they were dating and they'd take us there every year for our birthdays, because they're in a week of each other."

Eleanor smiled, "that's wonderful."

"Look, Eleanor," Will seemed hesitant to use her first name, but she smiled and nodded. She didn't know why she seemed so changed towards him, he hadn't done anything to deserve it…but he was so different here, like he felt right here, confident here, not pompous confident, but nice confident. "If you have nothing on tomorrow night, how about you and your students come to dinner? Our housekeeper would willingly give you a Very dull version of the Second World War, but we have some diaries and documents from both of them in the library that your students can look at, and of course, you need to taste our cook's food. There's nothing like it in the world." Gina nodded enthusiastically and Eleanor found herself immediately liking the girl more and more.

Lucy and Andrew looked at her pleadingly and nodded violently and Eleanor had the feeling that it was more the food that the history that they would have liked, but she was more inclined that way anyway. "That'd be lovely," she told Will who smiled kindly.

"We'll send a car around for you, we're a bit of a drive away and I think our driver would be more than willing to collect you."

"I have to warn you," Eleanor began, "there are ten students."

"It's better than I thought," Will said. "I thought there would be about thirty or so."

Eleanor stared at him; this guy was willing to have thirty kids over for dinner? He's mad.

Gina and Eleanor exchanged mobile numbers and addresses but Will didn't move away. "Come on, we'll have a coffee downstairs while these guys finish their hunt." He said. Gina looked at him, as if asking if she could stay with Lucy and Andrew who were giving the same look to Eleanor; both parties shrugged and walked off.

The last they saw of them was the three of them hurrying off to find out how many pigs were bought by the Duke of Albany in 1657.

Eleanor and Will walked down the curved stairs to the café next to the gift shop. "It's wonderful," Eleanor said indicating to the huge building they were in the middle of.

"I know," Will said ordering two coffees. "I come here every year with Gina, she always manages to stay here for hours."

"A true historian," Eleanor smiled. "You're all she has?"

Will nodded, "that's why this tradition is so important to her, she wont let you see it, but it means the world to her."

"Your parents brought you here?"

Will looked around, "Yes. When we were kids, and then Mum died when Gina was three, I was ten and Dad stopped coming, so our Nanny…Nanny Eldyes a scary old lady if ever there was one, would take us here."

Eleanor laughed, "You had a nanny?" she couldn't imagine Will as a young child, let alone with a Nanny.

Will nodded "she scared the wits out of me," Eleanor laughed and Will smiled, he liked making her laugh. "I mean it, she was this Huge old lady with Enormous earrings."

Eleanor smiled, "Well, I grew up with my parents and my sister and…well….we had babysitters, but not Nannies."

Will shrugged, "I just had an odd upbringing."

Eleanor laughed and shook her head. "I suppose so."

Two students ran up to them brandishing their papers at Eleanor. "We're finished!" they announced as Eleanor smiled.

"Right, well, go have a look around and find the others, tell them that they have another half hour and then we should find some dinner and this place is going to close then anyway."

"Why do they need more time? We won!"

Will fielded that question, "because, you might have got some wrong, you never know, Einstein got questions wrong before."

"Whose this guy?"

Eleanor laughed, "he's a friend of mine, now scram."

They ran off whooping and ogling at Will who simply smiled.

"Right, now, to mark this."

"What do they win?"

"They choose where to go for dinner tonight."

Will laughed and Eleanor asked if he and Gina would like to join them. Will seemed to be taken by surprise by this, but he consented and they both set about marking the treasure hunt.  
Turns out, so many questions were wrong that they considered making the pair do it again, but decided against it. "Just set them an essay or something," Will said, "I always used to hate essays."

"Really? I love them" Eleanor said laughing at the look her gave her.

"Grrr," he said as the other students and Gina came together while most of the students stared open mouthed at Will, Eleanor organized another way of deciding who would pick the restaurant. They all went outside as the museum was closing, and played a large game of Bang.

Gina decided that she loved this game and Eleanor and asked her brother if they could simply join their party and follow them around for the two weeks they were here, "you know, show them the sights, the things they wouldn't ordinarily see?"

Will asked Eleanor who readily agreed and that was how it was for the two weeks they were there. After a thoroughly enjoyable meal at the Darcy Mansion and after studying the fifteen or so documents Will had talked about earlier Will and Gina joined the 'tour' group and managed to get them into the Royal Theatre to see a production of _Romeo & Juliet_ and somehow got them into The most expensive shops where the girls drooled until Gina decided to buy each of them something.

"Are you sure you can afford this?" Eleanor asked Will worried.

He shrugged, "yes it's fine. Don't worry about it."

Eleanor still wasn't convinced but didn't argue. They visited all the sites of 'educational' significance and somehow managed to come up with a way of incorporating a visit to Madame Tassauds (to see the political figures) and the London Eye (finding the best place to bomb – in the1940s).

When it was time to go to Paris they shopped at the Champs Elysée and climbed the Eiffel Tower, went to the Louvre and simply saw all the sites, including a small bookshop near Notre Dame that only sold books in English run by an Irishman Will seemed to know.

They arrived in Turkey on Friday and by Saturday had seen the sites they 'needed' to and were now strolling through some markets picking up more presents for family and loved ones. Andrew found a hair clip for Lucy that made her blush furiously.

And then, just as they were setting down in a park to have lunch Eleanor's mobile phone rang.

She smiled and asked Will, who seemed to have become civil and even…attractive lately, to look after the students while she took this call.

"Eleanor Bennet."

"El, It's Kit."

"Kit? What's up, you sound stretched?"

"Leah's gone missing, as in the police are here and everything."

"What? That's insane."

"You're telling me, and Johnny's left as well."

Eleanor was silent and looked at Will who stood up and walked over to her looking worried. "What is it?" he whispered.

"I'll be home soon," Eleanor told Kit. "We'll figure it out, I promise."

As she hung up Will moved closer and asked her again what was wrong?

"It's Leah, one of the teachers at the school. She's such an Idiot! I swear, she's so thick…"

"Eleanor, what happened?"

"Johnny Wickham's gone missing taking Leah Bernit with him." Will stared at her.

"You serious?"  
Eleanor nodded looking up at him, "what am I going to do? She'll loose her job…everything not to mention that she could be …dieing or … or sick or anything else."

Will nodded and told her that they'd figure something out tomorrow but now they had to set up the kids, they were leaving on Monday as it was.

Eleanor nodded, "not a word, please?"

Will nodded.

They went out to dinner and Eleanor was unusually quiet while the students were too hyped up to notice. Gina kept looking at her friend but couldn't figure out what was wrong.

Then that night, as they all went back to the hotel Will pulled her aside and told her that they had to go home, she needed to go back to school.

Her schooling had never been a problem before, she's was smart enough to catch up, but she didn't argue. She knew that her brother had something on his mind and he needed to do something about it.

Very early the next morning she knocked lightly on Eleanor's door and said her goodbyes to a stunned Eleanor. Will said farewell rather stiffly telling her that work had popped up and that he'd call her soon.

Eleanor nodded and waved until the car was out of sight before turning back to see Lucy and Andrew standing there waving just as much as she was. "You love him," Lucy told her teacher.

"Your insane," Eleanor told her, but not with the same vigor she had earlier.

"I know," Lucy said and they all went back inside and got ready to leave later that night on their long trip home.

Eleanor slept the entire journey, as did the majority of the students but some watched movies while others simply remembered every minute of their trip.

The minute, literally, they stepped off the plane and Eleanor turned on her mobile phone, it rang.

"Eleanor Bennet."

"Eleanor, It's Will."

"Hey, How are you? Where are you?"

"I'm good, I just wanted to tell you that Leah's fine and on her way home. She might need some counseling and maybe a doctor to check out something, and I'll pay for that, I've already given her the instructions to get it sent to my account. So, I just thought you might want to know."

Eleanor was silent, "how can I-"

"I'm incredibly sorry, but I have to go, I have to make another call and my flights being called. I'll see you soon."

Eleanor didn't have a chance to say anything as the line went dead and Kit went to hug her. "You survived!"

"Yeah," she admitted. "Leah's on her way home."

Kit held her at arms length, "what?"

"She just called," Eleanor lied. "She's coming home."

"Wow, we have a guardian angel."

"You betcha." Eleanor said and greeted the influx of parents wanting to thank her for the apparent brilliant time their kids had.

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Please Read and Review. The faster you review the faster I update.

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	11. Chapter 11

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**DISCLAIMER: I do not pretend to own any of the works by Jenny Austen or any other author and their characters. I am but a lowly servant.

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This will be the last update for a while - I'm going abroad (to FRANCE...from where i live that's a long way) and thus - I won't update for a few weeks...3 i think)**

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THERE WILL BE AN EPILOGUE I PROMISES!

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Eleanor went to school, she taught students, she had lunch with Jenny and yet none of it seemed the same. He's been so…Nice and now she felt that the thought of not having that …niceness around was terrifying. But she heard from his family. Oh, she Definitely heard from his family.

It had been a week after she'd returned home before the doorbell rang incessantly as she rushed through her place looking for her schedule. "I'm Coming!" she called out locating the schedule and walking to the door to find someone already inside. "Mrs. Debouf?"

The old lady looked at her indignantly. "So it is you then, I had hoped that my informant had by some trick of fate given me the wrong name." Eleanor stepped back and asked her 'guest' if she would like some tea. "No thankyou" was the response, "I shan't stay long." _She flew across the country to _not stay long Eleanor looked at the lady standing there, someone must have died or something. "I wish to talk to you about your marital status."

"My…my marital status?" Eleanor struggled to say the words. "What do you want to know about my _marital_ status?"

"Simply this, and answer me quickly girl for I already know the answer. Are you, or are you not engaged to my nephew William Darcy?"

Eleanor reeled back, she couldn't be serious? "If you already know the answer why are you asking me?"

"I simply want to have what I know to be true to be proven so."

Eleanor rolled her eyes, "well, if you think it so impossible why come all the way over here to 'check' on something you 'know' to be a lie?"

"All I want is an answer Miss. Bennet" Lady Debouf said. "A simple Yes or No answer."

"But you think it's impossible, so nothing I say will change that."

Lady Debouf was fuming now, she still stood ramrod straight with her head held high, but the glare she was giving Eleanor could have burnt a hole through her skull if Eleanor hadn't been glaring with the same force at her. "Miss. Bennet, I will ask you one Final time, and you will answer me truthfully, are you, or are you not engaged to by married to my nephew William Darcy?"

Eleanor stood straight reaching her full height and looked the 'old bat' in the eyes. "No." she said simply.

Lady Catherine visibly sighed, "and will you promise me not to enter into an engagement with him?"

"No"

"But you are beneath him."

If that was all Lady Catherine had said Eleanor would have immediately said her answer, but that comment only added to the contempt with which she said "I will do nothing of the sort and you cannot conjure me to do so, now please leave. I have a lot of work to do."

"You will not be moved?"  
Eleanor shook her head, "I trust you to let yourself out, you seem to have managed to come in easily enough."  
Lady Catherine left without another word and Eleanor was finally left in peace.

Weeks went by before she heard anything from Will, who spent his time 'fixing' certain things that he, felt he had to. The first mention of him came when she was called into Mr. Deary's office and was told that D Productions had decided to use the auditorium after all and he wondered if she minded considering how much she hated the head of the company.

"I was wrong," she told his man she saw as a father since her own father's death. "I don't hate him."

"You don't?"

Eleanor shook her head smiling broadly. "I can't. Not when…I like him. I like him a lot."

Mr. Deary stared at her. "But, what? Last time he was here you couldn't stand to be in the same room."

"Things change." She told him still smiling.

"Well, I've said that yes he can use the auditorium, he's not the kind of man you say no to anyway. He's said that he doesn't need to students to leave at all."

"That's good."

"Just as long as you know what you're doing."

Eleanor nodded and left feeling that that conversation could have had a few different meanings if she'd wanted to read them that way.

That night came the second mention of Mr. Darcy, well, not Mr. Darcy as it were, more Mr. Bingley.

"Eleanor? It's Jenny." She sounded happier than Eleanor could ever remember her being and that brought a smile to her face.

"Hey, what's up?"

"I need to ask you something, now if you say no then I won't go, here it is. I had a visitor, well, he's still here in fact. Umm, actually, I'd like to do this in person, could you come over?"

Eleanor was at the door in a few minutes smiling. Chris opened the door for her, Eleanor wasn't surprised. "She's in the living room," he told her and went to the kitchen to make dinner while the sisters talked. Eleanor noted how at home he seemed here, or at least, he knew his way around.

"Jenny?" she walked into the room to be hugged by her sister.

"Eleanor, I'm so happy! Why can't the rest of the world be as happy as I am?" Eleanor laughed and through a very chopped up conversation she found out that Chris had turned up on her doorstep and asked her there, out on the street to marry him.

"I'm Getting Married Eleanor!" she squealed. "If only you could be this glad!" Eleanor smiled.

"I could be married to a thousand Chris's and not be as happy as you are," she told her sister as they walked through to the kitchen and Eleanor hugged her brother-in-law-to-be and they sat down to discover that Chris wasn't a bad chef.

"Now, while you're both moving around the world, make sure to invite your poor little sister along," Eleanor smiled and they spent the night laughing and planning and simply enjoying the moment.

A week later the filming was due to begin in the auditorium with several hundred of the students as extras sitting in the tiered seating Eleanor had her first glimpse of Will. He was busy; she saw that, running around making sure people were in the right places with the right props. As producer it wasn't exactly his job to do that, but he'd changed lately, she smiled to think that she had seen that. She walked backstage hoping that nobody was around, but there was Jenny and Chris talking quietly, going over his lines or something, she wasn't quite sure. But she knew that they were both nervous, tonight at a press conference they would formally be announcing their engagement to the world. Talk about pressure. She stood in the wings of the backstage looking out at the stage, lights were shining on it making it look somewhat romantic and there was a few chairs set up for the opening scene that they would be filming in a few minutes, once they found their second camera man.

She saw Will walk across the opposite side of the stage backstage, talking to the actors and making sure that everything was alright. He felt her eyes on him and turned around. He walked out onto the stage, not really caring about anything and Eleanor walked out to meet him.

Up on the seating, Lucy and Andrew looked at their teacher and the movie producer talking, they couldn't hear what they were saying, but they could guess. Then something happened which made them both smile and look at each other.

Jenny and Chris were watching their friends and smiled and hugged each other, maybe Eleanor didn't need a thousand Chris's.

"Gina misses you," he told her softly so the microphones wouldn't pick it up. "She would like you to come visit sometime…I'd like you to come visit sometime."

"I can't," it upset Eleanor to say. "My miniature allowance wouldn't allow it. I can't afford to go to England at all."

"What if…what if I paid?" she looked at him and smiled, there was kindness in his eyes, kindness she had seen a few times in England and hoped to see again.

"Then I'd say yes."

"What if I said that I'm sorry for being an amazing prick when we first met, but that I like you, really like you, and I was wondering if maybe you'd consider staying with me? In a long term sort of way?"

"Are you asking me Mr. Darcy, to move in with you?" Eleanor smiled with a twinkle in her eye.

"Well, once this part of the filming is finished and we've tied up a few things with legal stuff and….basically? Yes."

"When did you decide to ask me this?"

"When I heard of your argument with my _dear_ aunt," Eleanor laughed and looked to the ground. "I figured, that if you Really hated me, you would have answered her straight away. But you didn't, so I thought I would ask you myself." Eleanor cracked up laughing.

"Yes, I had no trouble insulting you to your face, why would your freaky aunt be any different?" Will laughed and lifted her chin up to look in his eyes.

"One of the reasons I love you."

"You love me?"

Will nodded and Eleanor smiled and did something that usually she would never even consider doing in front of the amount of people that were there then, but she didn't care. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. Will hugged her tightly and twirled her around in circles.

It wasn't until later that they realised that when that movie came out on DVD that one of the special features would be a small movie entitled "Proud and Prejudiced" where the one camera man who had been on duty had turned the microphones up in the camera so he could capture what they were saying and filmed their little exchange.

**Epilogue to come!**

**Please Read and Review. The faster you review the faster I update. **


	12. Chapter 12

**EPILOGUE

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**DISCLAIMER: I do not pretend to own any of the works by Jenny Austen or any other author and their characters. I am but a lowly servant.

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**2 MONTHS LATER**

Producer _William Darcy_, known for his standoffish nature and his pride was seen last night laughing and acting very carefree as he left a restaurant in London with his girlfriend of two months teacher _Eleanor Bennet_ who has recently moved to England and into Darcy's large mansion.

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**3 MONTHS LATER**

Teenage girls the world over will mourn this day as actor _Chris Bingley_ marries long time girlfriend _Jenny Bennet_ sister to the girlfriend of _Bingley's_ friend _William Darcy_.

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**3 and a bit MONTHS LATER**

Movie Producer and head of D Productions_ William Darcy_ has announced his engagement to long time girlfriend _Eleanor Bennet_.

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**4 MONTHS LATER**

Casting Directors and Directors have called for a Boycott of actress _Carols Bingley_ on the grounds of being "a pain to work with" and "simply horrible to her fellow actors". _Bingley_ hasn't made a movie since the hit _First Impressions_, a remake of the 1969 version with Judy Garland and Fred Astair, four months ago.

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**6 MONTHS LATER**

Movie Producer and now Director with his directorial debut due in March _William Darcy_ has married girlfriend _Eleanor Darcy_ at a private ceremony today with very few celebrity names present. _Chris Bingley_ and wife _Jenny Bingley_ were of course present as was _Ritchie _and_ Laura Fitzwilliam_. A notable exclusion was that of _Lady Debouf_ though a representative was present in the form of lawyer _Charlotte Lucas_ and twins _Catherine _and_ Mark_ _Collins_.

True to their word, every year on the anniversary of the movie night, the students and teacher got together and watched almost the same movies, plus some recent ones and caught up.

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**Teacher Application Form:**

**Name: **Eleanor Elizabeth Bennet – Darcy

**Date of Birth: **13th April

**Previous Experience: **Four years at St. Helens Secondary School.

**Notes:** Will need maternity leave in 6 months

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Eleanor did get the job, and the maternity leave. Six months later their first child Alexander Luke was born and three years later the twins Amelia and Susana were born. Chris and Jenny had four kids, Natalia, Sophie, Megara and David and Laura and Ritchie had one more after Jack, Mary. Charlie never left Mr. Collins, but when he died in a car accident she never remarried instead deciding to dote upon her two children. Annie Debouf died a year after her divorce with Howard came through, leaving Peter instead to her cousin so Will, Eleanor and Gina raised him.

Mr. Deary outlived his wife and seemed to be happier from the experience which many saw as dementia while Eleanor saw it as realising one's mistakes.

Eleanor and Will lived…somewhat dysfunctionaly every after as is natural in such cases.

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Please answer the following question:**

_Should I, or shouldn't I upload the sequel that is the story of their children?_

_Yes/No?_

Please Read and Review. Awww…it's the end…..WAH! sob sob I like this story… now I do have another account on fanfics – this account was a little experiment I did but it didn't work. The other account is:

**Drugged-on-chocolate: mainly harry potter stories, but there's others there as well. Thank you for ALL THE REVEIWS! They made me happy! **

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